Paper bag



D. APPEL PAPER BAG Oct. 28, 1930.

Filed Nov. 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1- PIE-1 F'IE- 3 ram I. ms

FIE-4- nventoz D. APPEL PAPER BAG Oct. 28, 1930.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 23, 1927 Quorum Oct. 28,1930.

D. APPEL PAPER BAG 5 Sheets-Sheet .3

Filed No v. 25, 1927 PIE-1U F'IE- 13 PIE-12 awvewtoz I I l l i I 1 i I.Eur UH BUCKLED uwwmmr- W l i g Patented Oct. 28, 1930 UNITED STATESDANIEL APPEL, OF CIIEVELAND, OHIO PAPER BAG Application filed November23, 1527. Serial No. 235,192. i

My invention relates to an improvement in paper bags, my object ingeneral being to provide a simple construction of bag which may bemanufactured rapidly and economically in a flat state and thereafterreadily unfolded and opened to provide a dished bottom adapted tosupport the bag in a stable upright position when placed at rest upon aflat surface. Broadly speaking it is an old prac- 1 tice to make flatseating or so-called square bottomed bags from plicated or bellowstubing, and I have devised and patented various forms of such paper bagsand different methods and machines for producing them. I

- find from past experience that the various folds and tucks required toproduce the square bottoms according to accepted prac- "tices decreasesthe speed of production and increases the cost however figured or esti-7 mated, compared with the production of a paper bag having a simple hemor fold at one end according to an early and old practice.

Such simple folded bags are sold and'used extensively today, but itshould be understood that these bags do not open up on definitely fixedlines to produce a flat supporting bottom and therefore they lack theadvantages of the pre-formed square bottom type. In that connection ithas been proposed heretofore to corrugate or score the folded bottom ofthe hemmed type of bag on straight lines transversely near its closedend and also diagonally" of the corners to promote unfolding movementsof the bottom on rectangular lines so as to provide a square bottom,reference being bad to the Letters Patent of the United States No.904,169 granted to H. G. Widmer, Nov. 17, 1908. The mere scorin orcorrugating of the bag as taught by this not suflicient in itselfhowever to permit the unfolding of the bottom to be effected socompletely or effectually that it may be flattened out over its entirearea by merely fiipidmer patent is bottom, and as a result the bottom isnever absolutely fiat but bulges outwardly more or less on converginglines, the creasing or scoring of the bag determining the shape of thebottom and promoting the opening thereof, and also contributingmaterially to the production of a series of flat areas in the bottomwhich may be pressed and held to lie in approximately the sameflatplane. But in opening the bag the creased bottom is normally distendedto such an extent that when an attempt is made to seat the bag in anupright position on its bottom the bag will tilt at an angle and fall onits side due to the unevenness or angularity of the bottom and itsresiliency or springy qualities and makeup. Toovercome theseobjectionablefeatures I construct the bottom of the bag as hereinaftershown and described in detail,

whereb the bottom may be-caused to buckle 7 inward-y in or after openingthe bag to permit the bag to be seated in a stable upright position onits bottom corner edges in lieu of its entire bottom area, preparatoryto receiving the goods and being filled. I also 7 form the ends of thebag in a particular Way to promote effective sealing of the bottom andless resistance to the opening of the bag at its upper end and to theunfolding and buckling I of the bottom, all as hereinafter described andmore particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations of theobverse and reverse sides of a plicated tube from which my improved bagis made, and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same tube. Fig. 4 is anelevation of the tube unfolded and flattened out, the parallel linesintermediate the longitudinal side edges of the sheet representing thefold lines or creases which produce the plaits or bellows folds. Fig. 5is an elevation of the obverse side of a completed bag in its flatstate, andFig. 6 a similar view of the reverse or rear side. Fig. 7 is asectional view of the bag on line-77 of Fig. 6, each ply of the paperbeing shown as a single line and the plies being separated to avoid dis-I tortion and deceptive delineation. Figs. 8 and 9 are similar sectionalviews longitudi- 1 nally of the bag, online 88 and 9Y9, respectively, ofFig. 5. Fig. is a side view of the bag opened to that degree or extentas easily obtained by flipping the bag and filling it with air. Fig. 11is an edge elevation and Fig. 12 a bottom View of the bag as opened andshown in Fig. 10. Fig. 13 is a sectional view vertically of the bagshowing the bottom as dished or buckled inwardly and seated at itsbottom edges upon a flat surface, and Fig. 14 is a correspondingsectional view of thebottom part of the bag in a plane at right anglesto Fig. 13. Fig.

15 is a perspective View of the bag fully opened and seated upon atable.

Now reverting to Figs. 1 to 4, the bag is made'of a sheet of paper 2which is folded lengthwise on parallel lines 3 to provide a plicated orbellows shaped tube A as shown in Fig. 3. The cross sectional shape ofthis tube is as commonly employed, but instead of severing the tubestock transversely as customarily I divide the same with a serratedcutter in such a manner that each side fold or plait 4 and 5 between thefront and rear walls 6 and 7 of the tube will have a tri angular portionthereof exposed at each end of the tube. As a result the end of the tubewhich is to be folded back upon itself to form a bottom closure, may beprovided with paste or an adhesive the full width of the tube, includingthe ends of both of the plaits or folds at each side of the tube wherethe triangular portions 8 and 9 are exposed, see Fig. 2. In severing thetube in the offset way as shown the line of severance of one plait ateach side of'the tube is parallel with the transverse lineof severanceof the main walls of the tube, and the line of-severance' of thecompanion plait is diagonally from the folded outer edge to the innerfolded edge of the plaits. .The cutting of the plaits on such diagonallines also removes a triangular section from one ply in the finishedbottom ly across the middle portion of the tube and then on slopinglines 1111 across the plaited sides of the tube. In effect the fold lineis akin to a curved line, which may be used if desired, or the fold linemay be in the form of an obtuse angle which the present showing of foldline closely resembles. In folding the tube end insuch amanner a closedbottom is produced which may be easily buckled inwardly after the, baghas been opened and the bottom unfolded. The purpose of that is toproject the main area of the unfolded bottom'apart from the surface uponwhich the bag is to be seated and to providestraight linear restingedges only .walls also act with bracing effect on the side walls of thebag at the bottom corners. The dimensions of the bottom and theproduction of a rectangular or square sided'bottom is definitely fixedby creasing or scoring the closed end of the flat tube on a straightline 14 transversely of the body of the plicated tube and also onstraight lines 1515 diagonally of the plaited sides across its endclosure folds. Such scoringis not in itself novel or new as explainedherein but is desirable because the bottom will unfold readily ondefinite rectangular lines and open more easily by dipping andfilling-the bag with airf The creases or folds across the bottom arealso. preferably soft folds, and

the longitudinal folds which produce the.

plicated sides of thebag are also preferably soft folds to promote easyopening and unfolding movements. It is also desirable that the mouth ofthe bag open fully and quickly in the initial sweeps of the bag throughthe air by the operator, it being understood that the bag is graspedbetween the thumb and forefinger centrally of the exposed flap at theupper or open end of the bag. Accordingly. :I provide a crease or breakline 16 transversely of the flattened tube or body of the bag near itsopen end so that the walls in this end portion of the bag will have atendency to gap open when the longer flap is gripped and heldpreparatory to imparting a sweeping airfilling movement to the bag. Thusthe bag will open instantly and freely and the bottom will be distendedon the rectangular lines given to it by the creases and the plicatedsides of the bag will be unfolded fully and to such an extent at or nearthe bottom that a part thereof will bulge outwardly on angular lines asindicated in Figs. 10 to 12. It is not contended that the bottomflattens out completely in the preliminary opening'movement given to thebag as that is not the case in the present bag or in the creased bagsuch as heretofore made and known. The bottom is only partiallyunfolded, but by creasing the bag and making a fold across the'bottom onan arc. curve, or the acute angular lines shown the bottom may bereadily opened and then easily buckled inward or dished.

Thence the buckling may be effected by a light pressure of one finger,or the bag may be held at its open end and the converging bottom placedat rest against a raised object or the corner edge of a counter or otherobject and then by merely pressing the bag downward the bottom willflatten out completely and a slight continuing pressure will then causethe bottom to buckle inwardly due to either the pressure as applied orto the inherent spring-like qualities in the paper. The bag will thenstand evenly in an open upright position on the angular cornersbordering all four sides of the bottom so that it may be easily filledas illustrated in Fig. 15. Inasmuch as an irregular or bent fold line isproduced transversely of the plicated tube .in closing the end thereof,it -follows that when the end flap is folded back upon the body the flapor folded part will wrinkle or gather slightly,and therefore I prefer togather or tuck this stock in a definite place or places. In the bagshown in the drawings the gathered material or tucks 17 are in theregion of and substantially parallel with the inner fold line of theside plications. In producing the main fold line for the bottom it maybe made on a curved line but preferably it is made on straight lineswhich are angularly related and which follow a curved line, and thesestraight lines meet preferably where the diagonal creases and the innerfold lines of the plicated sides of the tube intersect. In that case thetucks 17 for the reverted part or closure flap 18 of the bottom willextend from the intersection of the angular fold and crease lines abovereferred to on lines substantially parallel with the inner fold lines ofthe plicated sides of .the tube. In folding the bottom end of the tubeon an irregular line or convexly as stated, a surplus of materials isprovided in the areas which form the ultimate bottom of the bag. Ascreased and folded the area is not a true rectangle .but it isapproximately rectangular. For that reason the bottom may be dished orbuckled inwardly to permit the bag to be seated solely at the border orbottom corner edgesof the bag when opened. In view of the fact that thebottom fold is made by, simply doubling back the stock upon itself,which places all of the folded material or plies on one side of the bag,I crease the tube from the opposite or obverse side so that all thedepressions or grooves are on the obverse face and the raised or ribbedportions are placed entirely on the flap side of the bag. The purpose ofthis simple expedient, and the use of a plain crease, corresponding incross, section to a single shallow V-shaped depression, is to reduce theresistance of the greater number of plies or thicker portion in the flapside of the bag and to promote a freer and fuller opening of the bagwhen it is dipped through the air.

What I claim, is: 1. A paper bag having plicated side walls,

including an end portion whichcis folded and pasted back upon itself toform a bottom closure, the fold line for said bottom closure beingoffset relatively to a straight line transversely of the bag to permitthe bottom of the bag to buckle inwardly when the bag is opened and toprovide spaced restportions for the bag.

2. A paper bag having plicated sides and a reverted end forming aclosure and bottom,

the closed endv portion of the bag being creased transversely anddiagonally to permit the bottom to unfold into a rectan ular shape, andthe fold line for the reverte end of the bag being offset at itsmiddle'relative ly to a straight line transversely of the bag to providea slight surplus of stock in the bottom which will permit the bottom tobe dished inwardly in opening the bag and thereby permit the bag to beseated upon the border edges of said bottom.

3. A paper bag formed ofa. plicated tube having-one end folded back uponitself, and secured thereto by an adhesive to form a closed bottom, thefolded bottom area of the tube being creased transversely and alsodiagonally at its corners, to permit easy unfold= ing of the bottom andto produce a. rectangular bottom when unfolded, the area of said bottomas creased and folded having a slight excess of stock to prevent thebottom from lying absolutely fiat when opened and to permit it to bebuckled inwardly to provide separate border rests for the bag. 7

4. A paper bag made of plicated tubing having one end folded and securedupon itself on a convex line, the folded overlapping material being Igathered at isolated places,

Whereby when said bag is opened the-bottom may be dished inwardly tosupport the bag on the edges bordering the unfolded bottom. I I

between the plicated sides'and thence on slanting lines toward theopposite end of the tube to the outer side edges of the plicated sides,the end flap being gathered in the region of the inner fold lines of theplicated portions of the tube, and the body of the tube jacent thefolded flap and also creased di-. agonally from the side edges of thetube to being creased transversely its full width adthe junoture of thestraight and slanting fold lines. a

7. A paper bag made of plicated tubing which is sealed at one end andformed With a bottom area approximating a rectangle, said bottom havingsurplus stock in its middle portion to permit said bottom to be dishedinwardly when said tube is fully opened.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. I

' DANIEL 'APPEL.

